The Seventh Princess Insists on Making Me Live Off Her - Chapter 19

For a moment, Chengqian Hall was utterly silent.

Lian Pingyou, who stood in a corner, finally spoke again after a while. Stepping forward, she cupped her hands.

“Your Majesty, please forgive this commoner for speaking frankly. Her Highness the Princess has no experience leading troops. Moreover, the princess is the sovereign in relation to the Princess Consort. For someone of Her Highness’s noble status to personally search for her consort would be contrary to proper etiquette.”

Her words rang clearly through the hall.

Indeed, there had never been such a precedent in the history of the Lan Geng Kingdom.

Hearing this, the Emperor gently rubbed the jade thumb ring on her hand.

“Then who do you believe should go?”

“Your Majesty, this commoner is the Princess Consort’s elder sister. Sisters are connected by heart. This commoner is willing to accompany the Sun Radiance Guard and rescue Third Sister.”

Lian Pingyou looked at the tea stains on Gao Jingxi’s clothes and knelt as she spoke.

Unexpectedly, Gao Jingxi did not hesitate in the slightest. She did not even spare Lian Pingyou a glance before saying in a deep voice,

“Imperial Mother, rescuing the Princess Consort is not a matter of etiquette, but of affection. This daughter is the Princess Consort’s wife. I am willing to personally lead the Sun Radiance Guard and rescue my spouse.”

Lian Pingyou had never expected Gao Jingxi to volunteer to rescue her younger sister.

Reality struck her brutally across the face.

Not only did Gao Jingxi intend to go, but her resolve was unwavering.

In Lian Pingyou’s memories, the Seventh Princess had never made any major moves. Even though the Emperor doted on her beyond measure, she always conducted herself discreetly and never drew attention to herself.

This time, she had voluntarily requested command of the Sun Radiance Guard. Although it was only to rescue someone, there was no guarantee that others would not overthink the matter or use it against her.

The First Imperial Prince, in particular, watched the Seventh Princess like a tiger stalking its prey at every moment. He longed to seize upon the slightest mistake and make Gao Jingxi lose imperial favor.

Lian Pingyou’s emotions were rarely affected by outside events. Even though her father had neglected her for years, she seldom felt sorrow.

However, personally witnessing Gao Jingxi make such sacrifices for Lian Liejin, regardless of the reason, filled her with profound despair.

That despair nearly exhausted all the patience in her heart.

She, Lian Pingyou, had clearly known Gao Jingxi longer and had always shared a closer relationship with her.

The two could practically be called childhood sweethearts. They thoroughly understood each other’s temperaments and personalities. When the Duke of Yan’s Residence decided to support the Seventh Princess, Lian Pingyou had been the one to meet with the princess and arrange everything.

The person who should have married the princess and become her consort was clearly her.

It should have been Lian Pingyou.

Yet Lian Liejin, a useless woman incapable even of observing the stars and entering the Dao, had returned and effortlessly taken away everything that should have belonged to her.

Lian Pingyou clenched her hands. Her fingernails dug into her flesh until blood appeared.

When she saw the worry on Gao Jingxi’s face, turbulent emotions surged within her—

The Seventh Princess had initially resisted this marriage with all her strength!

How could she have changed so much within such a short time?

They had been married for only a few days.

Whether in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, literary discourse, or martial strategy, she, Lian Pingyou, surpassed Lian Liejin a hundredfold.

Why, then, was she the one destined to share no fate with Gao Jingxi?

The Emperor sneered twice from her dragon throne.

“Every one of you certainly possesses deep affection and loyalty. Duke, you are Jin’er’s father. You decide.”

The Duke of Yan solemnly rose and thanked the Emperor. He then spoke to Gao Jingxi with relief.

“For Jin’er to receive such care from the Seventh Princess is her good fortune. This old subject thanks Your Highness in advance. If Your Highness can rescue Jin’er as soon as possible, this old subject will be at ease.”

“Duke, there is no need for such courtesy. I will certainly ensure the Princess Consort’s safety.”

“Enough, enough. You and the Princess Consort are newly married, so I will make an exception this once. I will grant you the Stellar Fortune Token for half a month—and only half a month.”

The Emperor continued sternly,

“Remember, this Poetry and Literature Gathering suffered so many failures under your supervision that you cannot escape responsibility. Even if you find the Princess Consort, your achievement will not erase your offense. When you return, you will receive punishment together with Gao Qing and Gao Hu!”

The Emperor’s powerful voice interrupted Lian Pingyou’s thoughts.

She looked toward the Emperor, who was nearing fifty years old.

Had the Emperor not approved this marriage, Lian Pingyou might originally have had a chance.

Recently, the Emperor had showered Consort Lian with favor. Although she had not entirely neglected state affairs, she had become considerably less diligent than before.

Moreover, the Emperor had been decisive in killing and fair in distributing rewards and punishments during her youth. Now, however, she had grown much more brutal.

If Lian Pingyou could support Gao Jingxi in ascending to the supreme position, perhaps the two of them could share this vast realm and receive the adoration of all its people.

“Thank you, Imperial Mother. There is no time to lose. This daughter will depart tonight and certainly bring the Princess Consort back safely.”

Gao Jingxi’s expression remained calm. She stepped forward, knelt, and accepted the order.

After once again exchanging formal courtesies with the Duke of Yan and Lian Pingyou, she quickly left Chengqian Hall.

A-You had long been waiting outside.

The moment Gao Jingxi emerged, she anxiously asked,

“Your Highness, the Princess Consort… How are we going to rescue her?”

Gao Jingxi lowered her eyes.

“I remember that before the Princess Consort married me, you did not think highly of her.”

“Ah, Princess, that was all in the past. Why are you bringing it up again?”

A-You turned her head away in embarrassment.

“This servant personally feels that aside from being a little slow and foolish, the Princess Consort is not bad in any other respect. Even if Your Highness still does not like her, she truly cares about you. Aren’t you still wearing her cloak right now…?”

Gao Jingxi lowered her head and gently stroked the soft, furry cloak around her shoulders.

A faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

The smile soon disappeared, however, and her eyes once again filled with worry.

“A-You, what nonsense are you saying? We cannot afford any delay. We must depart tonight and catch up with that assassin.”

A-You pursed her lips, equally worried.

“If only the Princess Consort could observe the stars and enter the Dao. Your Highness could have used the connection between your stellar powers to find her long ago. There would be no need for such difficulty.”

Hearing this, Gao Jingxi suddenly felt awkward.

She was actually grateful that Lian Liejin could not cultivate stellar power.

For two spouses to locate one another through the connection between their stellar powers, they first had to have shared physical intimacy.

Fortunately, Lian Liejin was considered a “good-for-nothing.” Otherwise, the fact that their marriage had never been consummated would be exposed.

When that happened, her imperial father would undoubtedly “fly into a rage.”

Even before Gao Jingxi married, the Empress had constantly reminded her that, as a princess, she needed a child to increase her leverage in the struggle for the throne.

A child carrying both the blood of the Duke of Yan’s household and the imperial family would be the best possible choice.

The wind along the palace road was strong, blowing loose strands of hair across Gao Jingxi’s forehead.

A-You noticed a patch of red and cried out in alarm.

“Your Highness, how were you injured? Was it—”

“A-You, silence.”

Seeing her princess’s expression, A-You immediately understood that His Majesty must have injured her.

It was not the first time.

A-You could only change the subject.

“Your Highness, you still have not taken your medicine. The Princess Consort said it must be taken three times a day. The Princess Consort’s Residence also delivered medicinal pills, so you can bring them and take them during the journey.”

“Is that so? The Princess Consort was thoughtful.”

At Moonview Tower, Lian Liejin had learned that she feared bitter medicine and therefore sent her sugar-coated pills.

Gao Jingxi’s emotions became extraordinarily complicated.

She tightly clutched the painting scroll in her hand—

It was the painting Lian Liejin had created at Moonview Tower that morning.

The person depicted in the painting was Gao Jingxi herself. It appeared to capture the scene from the night of the Lantern Festival.

Although it consisted only of black-and-white lines, every brushstroke vividly conveyed the subject’s spirit and bearing.

“Your Highness, please wait.”

Hearing the voice behind her, Gao Jingxi hurriedly rolled up the painting and held it protectively against her chest.

Only after turning around did she discover that Lian Pingyou had followed her outside.

“What is it?”